Improved window-shade fixture



N- PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRPHER. WASHINGTON. D. C. I v I V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD T. BRIGGS, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED WINDOW-SHADE FIXTURE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,555, dated May 19, 1863.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD T. BRIGGS, of Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Window-Shade or Curtain Fixture; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference beingvhad to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in Whichv.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hollow roller with a portion of its shell broken away to show the interior arrangement. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a roller, ready to receive the shade. Figs.8 and 4 are perspective views of the brackets used vfor hanging the shade. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a shade-fixture and shade in working order.

This invention consists in the peculiar arrangement of parts forming a simple, cheap, and reliable `shade-fixture, as will be hereinafter explained.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to fully understand and use the same, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents a metallic tube or roller, having fitted and secured in its ends short cylindrical wooden plugs A D.

B is a similar plug or block, fitted in the roller near one end and secured against lateral movement by one or more screws or pins passing through the metallic shell into it. The plug D has a hole made axially through it, in which one end of a shaft, a, is loosely fitted, said shaf't being supported at its opposite end in a cavity formed in the stationary block B. The shaft a has a screw-thread cut on a portion of it, and its outer end,-or that portion which protrudes through the plu g D,is squared to fit a corresponding hole in the bracket which supports that end of the roller.

E H are nuts adapted to the screw-thread c of the shaft a.

F is a disk, iitted to slide loosely over the screw c and to have endwise movement in the hollow roller.

c is a helical spring slippedV over the nonscrew-threaded part of the shaft a and attached at its ends to the shaft a and one side of the nut E, respectively. On the opposite side of the nut E, and interposed between it and the loose disk F on the same shaft, is a spiral spring, t', which, as the nut E is advanced on the screw by the rotation of the roller in the act of drawing the shade down, simultaneously draws out and coils the helical spring, and at the same time and by the same movement compresses the spring z'. The eiiect of this latter is to crowd the loose disk against the nut H, and thereby create friction to partially counteract the increased tension of the helical spring, and thus prevent it from recoiling and .winding up the shade.

The shade may be attached to the roller by hemming the top edge over a fine cord and then drawing it through the groove k, lengthwise of the roller.

The diiferent parts in the roller being properly adj usted and the shade attached, as before explained, the plug A, which has a small central cavity made in it, is placed upon the teat n ofthe bracket It, and the squared end ofthe shaft at the opposite end of the roller is inl serted in the square mortise in the bracket S, the brackets having been previously fastened to the window by screws, as shown in Fig. 5.

To raise the shade it lis only necessary to lift the tassel which is attached to the bottom of the shade, when the recoil of the helical spring rotates the roller and Winds the shade upon it. By relinquishing the hold upon the tassel its weight, together with the friction created between the loose disk and nut, is just sufficient to counteract the effect of the helical spring, and thus retain the shade in any position in which it may be placed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The stationary block B, shaft a, helical spring e, and revolving nut E, in combination with the screw-thread c, shaft a, helical spring 1'., loose revolving disk F, and stationary nut H, the several parts being constructed and arranged to operate in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

EDWARD T. BRIGGS.

Witnesses WILLIAM ARCHER, J r., WILLIAM ARCHER. 

